So Much for my Happy Ending
by Ms.Persephone
Summary: Want to see what happens when you’re a girl wolf and imprint on someone who gags everytime they see you? Welcome to the world of Corinne Call, daughter to Embry Call and her imprint Aiden, son of Jacob Black. Drama. Romance. Angst. Read and Review.
1. Corinne

So Much for my Happy Ending

Chapter 1 Corinne

"Dad! Tell Fletcher to let me in the bathroom. I'm going to be late for work." My voice was shrill with irritation.

Typical morning on a typical day. It wasn't even five thirty in the morning and I felt like killing my brother. You would think that after eighteen years of living with my brother, I would learn a measure of patience for dealing with him… but you would be wrong.

Fletcher was the token golden child. He was five years older than me, and you would think that having your 23 year old son living with you would make you realize he isn't the greatest child you could have but you would be wrong.

Fletcher and my dad were like best friends. And oddly enough they usually were thought to be brothers more than father and son. They were both tall, around six foot six. They kept their dark hair cut in a buzz and even worked out together. Being five foot five usually gave me the benefit of being invisible when they were around. I was halfway though junior high before people believed me and Fletcher were actually brother and sister.

"Fletcher…let your sister use the bathroom, son."

My father's voice was typical when dealing with me, apathetic and bored. There was something about me that brought out the irritation with my father. I'm sure it had to do with the fact that my mother died giving birth to me. Add the fact that I was everything a father didn't want for a daughter and I could understand his refusal to talk to me…and look at me. But just because I understood it, didn't mean I wasn't hurt by it.

So yeah, I'm pretty much the poster child for what you don't want in a daughter. I'm a girl, but I can't befriend one to save my life. I love reading, but trying to read the so called classics, always makes my brain hurt. My family was comprised of striking beauties, but I was non-descript. I knew my father thought all girls were supposed to like makeup and fixing their hair, but I barely ran a brush through my hair before pulling it back into a pony tail.

The bathroom door finally opened and my brother and his annoyingly handsome face emerged.

"Here twerp. I was done anyway." Fletcher stepped out of the bathroom looking just like our father. It was always unsettling.

"Sorry. I just haven't been feeling good lately." Another one of my faults, incessant apologizing, but it was true I've felt like crap the past few days.

Brushing by Fletcher, I locked myself in the bathroom. Looking into the mirror, I took a deep breath. Something felt off with me…but I still looked the same. Round, non-descript face, boring eyes, and disgustingly mismatched lips. Besides my weight, my lips were a hug source of contention. My top one was normal, but the bottom one was thick and pouty. And trust me; while it may sound exotic…it's not.

My high school years had been spent in baggy jeans and shirts. I would have willingly committed homicide to have been able to wear skinny jeans or denim skirts – and not look like I was pregnant. Besides my body I really didn't think I was grotesque or anything. I just wasn't…noticeable. The one picture I had of my mother made me curse recessive genes.

I could not find a trace of my father anywhere in my face. I was short and plump, but Embry was tall and muscular. I was…LATE!

"Corinne, hurry up or I'm going to leave you here." My brother yelled from down the hall. I was going to be late!

Taking the quickest shower, I ran the brush through my hair and grimaced at my reflection. My brother really would leave me, making me late for the fifth time this month. Mrs. Newton was a nice lady, but I think even she would be mad if I showed up late again.

Working for Mrs. Newton was actually not that bad. I had worked for her during high school and now I would continue my work while going through community college. After community college I was going to the first four year university that accepted me – the farther away the better.

It's not that I hated the reservation, or even Washington, but I was tired of this place. It was the same thing every single day. Nothing excited ever happened. I wanted a chance to start over, to become someone new. Not just plain Corinne Call.

Fletcher was starting the engine to his truck when I came running out. I could call it a truck in my head, but to Fletcher this wasn't his truck…it was his baby. He and his best friend, Wes, had worked an entire summer to restore the engine and had named it…Vera. Yes, he believed his truck was a woman. Don't ask, trust me. It took me a long time to learn where Fletcher was concerned, less is best.

We were on the road to Forks when my brother turned down the radio.

"So I'm going to have the guy's over tomorrow for the game. Do you mind making us some snacks before you go to your room?"

I kept my face carefully averted as I read in between the lines of Fletcher's question. Make us food and then get lost. Neither I nor my friends want to hang out with you.

"I guess."

Not like I had anything else to do. My college classes wouldn't start until the fall and I got off work at five every day. Even if I felt like taking a walk down to the beach or up the trail I still would have enough time to cook something.

Refusing to look at Fletcher, I concentrated on the sky. It was that perfect time when night was giving way to day. Everything looked different, even when you knew it was the same.

Getting out of the truck in front of my job, I wondered how much longer I could do this before I went insane.

* * *

A/N So yeah, this is the first chapter and it will take a few to get into the story line. Read and Review!


	2. Same Shit,Different Day

Chapter 2 Same Shit, Different Day

"I'm going to die of a heart attack."

My loud breathing was the only noise in the stockroom. I hated stocking days. Seriously. I loathed it. Nothing was more evil on this Earth than a stocking day at your job.

My day at work was so boring; I almost wished I had been late this morning. Being fired would surely be better than this monotony. I was ready to forget every nice though I had this morning about my job. Had I really thought it was a great job?

Keeping my grip on the last three boxes I made my way to the front of the store.

"Ooohh, Corinne. You're working so hard today. Thank you, dear."

And just like that I knew exactly why I kept this job when I loathed it. Mrs. Newton was so nice and she actually seemed to like me. Every Christmas and birthday she always had a present and dinner for me. It was very sweet of the older lady.

One time, my old arch enemy Lexi had come strolling into the shop with her double twit twin, Leanna.

"_Hey Corinne." I had smiled shyly, still naïve to the evilness of sophomore girls. _

"_H-Hi." I couldn't believe they were talking to me. _

_We had gone to the same elementary, junior, and now high school and not once had they made an attempt to be friendly. They were everything I couldn't even dream to be: skinny, well-dressed, popular, and beautiful._

"_So you work here, huh? You're like, the same age as us, why do you even have a job?" _

_Lexi wasn't really looking at me, but focusing on Mrs. Newton's son, Mike who was down the same aisle. Even with half her interest focused on me I wasn't sure I liked her tone. It was…misleading. Like a medicine bottle proclaiming it tasted like strawberry when it tasted like shit._

"_Well, I'm saving up money for school and a vehicle. Stuff like that you know…"_

_I also wanted out of the house. Lately, my brother was driving me insane. He was sneaking out and getting angry for ridiculous reasons. The other night my father had even made me leave the house because Fletcher wouldn't calm down. I really wasn't the sit in the dark terrified type, but sitting in the woods at ten o'clock at night was enough to make me jump at every snapping branch. And it seemed like every wolf in the reserve was howling that night. But I couldn't tell people from my school this type of stuff. _

"_So we were thinking that we haven't hung out together in awhile. What are you doing Saturday?"_

_So when had we actually hung out?_

"_Um…yeah, I'm not actually doing anything this Saturday." My mind began to focus on stupid girl details like my horrendous hair and lack of cute clothes. Damn them for only having double zeroes on the sales rack!_

"_You should totally go with us to Jackson's party this weekend, everyone's coming. There's going to be guys and beer. It's going to be fun." _

_Oh crap…it's one thing to hang out with them, but go to a party? With alcohol? I had never even been out on a date with a guy, how was I supposed to act at a party with alcohol? _

"_Oh, wait…you know I can't go this weekend." Leanna's high pitched voice cut through my inner ramblings._

"_Oh that's right! We have that stupid midterm project due on Monday - she turned to look at me during this part – post feminist icons and their effects on society today."_

_Bitches. Maybe I was nerd and I wanted friends, but I would slit my throat before I would stoop so low as to do their own homework just to go to a stupid party and get drunk._

"_Yeah…sucks for you. Actually I just remembered I do have something to do this weekend." I'm pretty sure they read the 'fuck you' expression that was probably written all over my face._

_Looking at me sharply Lexi just shrugged her should and began to walk off._

"_No one wanted you there anyway, freak." Have I said Bitches already?_

_Leanna's irritating giggle made me want to throw the nearest tackle box at her pointed head._

"_Yeah, why would we want to be seen there with you anyway freak." _

"_Yeah, I'm really going to miss hanging out with you and your double twit twin. But I guess I'll just have to get over it." _

'_Yeah, maybe I should have just let them walk off.' They had turned around and were making their way back to me, probably hoping to kick my puppy and make it cry, not that I had a puppy. _

"_Hellooo girls. How are you finding everything in my store today? I see you are acquainted with Corinne, one of my best employees, almost like a daughter to me. So tell me Lexi how is mother doing with her little 'slipup'?" _

_Amazing, usually such a pleasant woman, Mrs. Newton had just referred to Mrs. Anderson's fall off the wagon. I almost felt bad for Lexi until I thought about how much of a bitch she was going to be at school._

_I just stood there with Mrs. Newton and wondered if I was really like a daughter to her._

Snapping myself out of the trip down memory lane I started to haul ass to get the rest of the stocking done because I hated Mrs. Newton trying to do it herself.

A few hours later I had lost myself in the monotony of stocking, once again, and thought about how life in a small town never changed.

It was always the same thing, every day. I would wake up, go to work, come home and cook dinner. During dinner I would listen to my father ask Fletcher how his day went, I would wait for him to ask me about mine, then when it was apparent that he wouldn't, I cleared the table, and went to my room.

Like clockwork, Mrs. Newton popped her head over to the aisle I was on,

"Great job today, Corinne. You can head out now."

Not able to keep the relieved expression off my face I went to my locker in the back and rushed getting my stuff together. My brother would pick me up in a few minutes and I really didn't want to miss getting a ride home. As I had said…me and physical activity weren't the best of friends. In my defense I was so clumsy it was a miracle Embry wasn't in debt to the hospital.

Walking outside, I hustled over to "Vera" and swung myself up into the trash filled truck. If this was how he treated something precious then I shuddered at picturing his room. Thankfully, I didn't clean his room anymore. When I had began working at the Newtons I had put my foot down that I couldn't clean his room, cook and clean the rest of the house, and work a part time job while going to school.

"Hey."

The silence was always so unnerving to me. God, I hated being in a vehicle when there was nothing to say. I cannot stand how quiet my family seems to be. I couldn't be the only one with something to say? Did they really just sit there and not have anything to say?

"Why do you have shit all in your hair?" At my confused expression Fletcher began laughing .

"Oh please don't tell me you worked like that all day today. Wow…smooth job."

Flipping down the visor mirror I could only look on with horror. I had dust from those stupid boxes all in my hair. I had been in and out of the back all freaking day and no one had said a single world. I looked like an old Indian woman who couldn't lay off the sweets.

"Whatever." Brilliant reply, I snarked at myself.

With nothing more to say to each other, he turned the radio up.

We came home and I finished the pot roast I had started this morning. Embry came in from the auto garage that he and Seth Clearwater, one of his best friends, owned and began washing up for dinner. My father's mildly curious look at my grey hair had me charging upstairs for a quick shower.

As I watched him smile at Fletcher, I felt the nausea that had been plaguing me for days come boiling up again. Setting my teeth against the heat and bile, I served up our dinner plates.

'Fuck this…It wouldn't kill him to talk to me for once.' I was ready to explode.

Fletcher was looking at me carefully, but started to eat his dinner.

"So…Fletcher, how'd your day go?" Fletcher leaned forward to answer our father, but I couldn't stop the words from tumbling from my mouth.

"Dad…you know what I did today?"

God, I was trying to talk to my father and instead I sounded like a ten year old trying to brag to their parents.

The looks on my father and brother's faces is what did it. Their looks of confusion and bafflement made my already tenuous grip on the nausea boiling inside of me explode. I couldn't hear the growls and screams falling from my lips, I was only focused on the heat. It was unbearable. The pain made me blackout, but I was still conscious. I just couldn't control my actions. I was out the door and into the woods, running. I was running from my stupid father, my golden child brother, and…my emotionally retarded self.

The pain and heat came to a boil and I fell to the ground in a sweaty heap.

'What the hell was wrong with me? Had I eaten something bad?'

My vision was blurring and that's when I thought I had to be dreaming. I looked down at myself but I wasn't me anymore. There was hair and paws and I looked like a giant wolf/dog and there was whisperings…

"Oh shit!"

"Who is that? I bet it's Sam and Emily's youngest…"

"Nah, my money is on Quill and Claire's kid…"

'Where the fuck is these guys?' I could hear voices but no one was around. They even sounded familiar…

'Holy SHIT! That's Corinne…Embry's daughter.'

My dad's friend Seth seemed to yell this out loud and was immediately followed by exclamations and then it was like my vision multiplied. I was seeing everywhere. I knew that I was behind my house on the rez, but suddenly I could see behind Forks, and up in the mountains, I was by the ocean, and on the other side of the rez.

'What the hell is wrong with me?'

As if I didn't have enough wrong with me, now I was clearly going psychotic. Something else for my father to ignore and secretly despise.

Suddenly, all of the voices went silent. And that's when I realized I could see other wolf dog things around me, a giant grey one stepped forward towards me.

'Corinne, I need you to calm down. You're not crazy, there are more of us. Look around, you know what we are. Just focus on your breathing right now. 'My father's voice speaking my name for the first time in a long time made me want to cry.

And that's when I realized everyone could hear what I was thinking because I could hear what they were thinking.

I knew that my dad's friend Seth Clearwater wished he could be at home with his wife Chelsea. I knew that Quill was on the other side of the reservation making tracks to be here. I knew that Sam Uley was the one beside the ocean, thinking of Emily. I knew Brady was waiting impatiently to change and go home because he was too tired for this shit. And my brother was here too!

I could hear how he felt a bit embarrassed for me. He knew I was already weird enough – that made me inwardly cringe – and this was the last thing in the world I needed. But it was my father's thoughts that made me want to curl up and die. It was the way I knew now, how he really saw me.

He didn't despise me. He _pitied_ me. I wasn't beautiful or graceful. I read books all the time. I had hardly any friends. He saw me getting out of school and not talking to anyone. I saw myself singing along with the radio while cooking dinner, so off tune I flinched to hear myself. He thought everyone else thought I was a loser.

And I reminded him so much of my mother he literally was in pain every time he looked at me. I didn't have her beauty or grace, but I did look like her. The same off center smile, straight hair, and upturned nose, but more than that I saw the personal characteristics. And it killed him to think of my mother and not be able to talk to her, to touch her, kiss her…

But my own father thought I was a loser…

Oh god. Oh God. Shit.

' What do I say to that?'

Um…no I'm not a loser. But I am. Who else still knows the lyrics to Fresh Prince of Bel-Air's theme song? Who else would rather read a book than watch a movie? Who else was part Mexican but couldn't handle spicy food. Who else went to their prom alone and never danced. And now I was even more of a freak.

I could feel the guy's unease at hearing my thoughts, even if they secretly agreed with me. I was a freak and loser. Even among freaks I was a freak. There was only one other female – Leah Clearwater! – and she was a bad ass wolf. She could run fast as hell and fight just as good. I looked like an overweight Pomeranian compared to her. The pack's memories and thoughts only re-enforced my thoughts.

'Corinne, I…don't think you're a loser.' My father couldn't help but think of me sitting in the house in sweats and a t-shirt reading a book on a Friday night.

That's it! Fuck him if he thought of me that way. I didn't need him. I didn't hand around all day begging for his attention – I could feel my father wince at this – and I never bothered him about other shit. I did my chores and stayed out of his hair. And as soon as I woke up from this fucked up nightmare and went to the hospital for food poisoning…I was leaving.

The pack's thoughts ranged from humor to disapproval at my childish thoughts about my – their – Alpha.

Alpha?! Embry Call was the Alpha of the reservation wolf pack?

More thoughts were flowing into my head, but I couldn't filter them. It was too much now. I had just turned and I hadn't learned to filter my thoughts from the packs.

'My father was the alpha…of the…wolf pack. ' I was going spotty. For the first time in my life I was going to pass out. My last thought was if this wasn't a dream, then I hoped everyone could hear my wish them to take a flying leap off the nearest building….the laughter turned black and I fell into strong arms.

A/N Sorry if I'm making Embry too much of an asshole. Basically right now, Corinne is taking in a ton of information that she can't really filter. Also, Embry is the alpha. Sam is stepping down as beta to stop phasing for Emily. Jake is the alpha of the other wolf pack. Him and Nessie (as well as the other Cullen's) are in Europe but will be heading back soon. As usual read and review. More reviews equals faster chapters!


	3. Evolution of WoMan

Chapter 3

Evolution of (Wo)Man

In a fairy tale world, the strong arms I would have fallen into would have been a handsome, intelligent, avid book reader male who was going to sweep me off my feet and away from this hellhole called my life. But as my life was complete shit – I landed in my father's arms.

It was still surprising that he had reached out to me, though.

The last time my father reached out to hug me was when GamGam, his mother, made us take family portraits. Even at her funeral, it had been me hugging _him_. I mean, it's not that he was an asshole to me or anything. I know there are possibly thousands of kids out there with really horrible fathers.

Embry never beat me or molested me. He worked a full time job, only drank when we bar-b-qued, and tried to give me Christmas presents. Birthdays were, for obvious reasons, very much off-limits in the house. Fletcher would usually get me a card signed from him and Embry – your father it usually said – but I knew he hadn't actually thought about getting me a birthday card.

December 16th was reserved for reflections of my mother. Maria Hernandez had been a beauty, a Mexican firecracker. When my father met her it had been love at first sight – or imprinting as I knew now – and she had fit right into his life. It was like she was perfectly made to slip right into his life, if only to slip right out and make his world implode in the process.

I was deathly afraid of this imprinting crap, I had gleaned from poking around the pack's mind. The idea that everything I was and what was important to me would take a backburner for this male that would suddenly become the reason for my existence made me want to vomit.

The way I saw it – watching the pack's memories was like my own personal reservation soap opera – if your imprint needed a listener you suddenly found yourself wanting to speak less. If your imprint needed someone who was funny or attentive then you changed gradually. Forget the biological imperative bullshit the elders fed us, about meeting the perfect person who would be most suitable to pass along the wolf gene.

What about free will and honesty? I saw a memory of Quill Atera playing Barbie dolls when Claire was only six for Christ's sake! Claire and Quill played with more grownup things, now-a-days let me tell you. I never in my life want to see that memory again! But these proverbial hoops we force ourselves to jump through are completely ridiculous.

Granted, the guys seemed to be happier for it when their imprinted finally let them in, but what hoop would I have to go through for my imprint to want me?

With that terrifying thought I decided to get out of bed before I stumbled onto more dark theories that only made me want to hurl the first person who pissed me off from the nearest cliff. My new spider senses tingled – yeah, I was a total comic book geek too – and I followed the wonderful, if rare, smell of a breakfast not cooked by me.

Embry stood facing the kitchen doorway, with his usual cup of coffee in his hand. He took it black, no milk or sugar. I had tried drinking it like that one time and had reasoned he must have lost his taste buds, as well as his heart.

"How are you doing?" Yeah, now he was interested in learning how I was doing. I could blame it on fatigue – what I was about to say – but truthfully? I had wanted to say something for years.

"Well, let's see. Last night I turned into a giant fucking Pomeranian, learned my father can now control me whenever he wants, that there are vampires in this world, and that I am now chained to this reservation for the rest of my miserable life!" Ok…I never proclaimed to not be a drama queen.

"Corinne, watch your language." His hard face made my hand start to tremble.

"That's all you have to say to me? How about, Sorry Corinne for lying to you?" I had to turn my face away from his – I didn't want him to see my hurt.

"I don't know what's worse, Dad. That you kept this from me or that you act like you could give two shits for how much it hurt me last night." Christ, I was fucking pathetic. Here was my chance to tell my father everything I thought and to shove it where the sun didn't shine, and my voice was breaking.

My new spider sense could hear his heart beat speed up before slowing down. His hand, always so very warm, now felt normal when it touched my shoulder tentatively.

"I know…I may not be there for you enough. And I can't promise that I can change, but I do care what happens to you Corinne. If you think I'm not very concerned right now it's only because I know what it's like to change, after a few days your body gets used to it and…" OH MY FUCKING GOD.

"You're kidding me right?" I felt hysterical laughter bubbling up. I've always had inappropriate laughter, always at the worst possible moments. It used to piss my high school teachers off.

"I wasn't talking about how much it hurt when I changed!" Though it did hurt like a son of a bitch.

"I was talking about what you think of me…how you see _me_. Do you even love me, Dad?" The silence was answer enough.

Oh god. Why didn't I just keep my fucking mouth shut? What kind of person doesn't love their child? What kind of person wasn't loved by their parents?

My word vomit was going to have to stop, before I did actually vomit everywhere in this stupid little kitchen. I hated this fucking kitchen. It gave the impression that it was all fun and laughter, that when we sat at the table that was between me and him, we were a normal family. But we weren't a normal family. And I wasn't a normal girl.

Suddenly, I knew I had made a mistake. Before, I could always just tell myself he loved me, but didn't know how to deal with a daughter. Now, I knew the truth. The one person in the world that was supposed to love me actually didn't.

And now he was just standing there, looking at me with a dumbfounded look on his face.

"Look…I'm sorry for bringing this up. Just forget about it." Damn. I always had to apologize. I wasn't really sorry about bringing it up, only for the revelations it had caused.

Refusing to cry in front of him, I knew I was going to have to get out of the house. I didn't want him to hear me cry and it wasn't going to be pretty.

His voice stopped me before I was even off the porch.

"Corinne!" What did he want to say at this point? If he lied I would know the next time we shifted…Ugh, which was tonight.

"I'm sorry. It's just…hard for me. The day she died…and then you were there…and you're always here…I can't look at you and not remember." He wasn't making much sense, but I understood perfectly.

"Dad…I know how hard it is for you. Especially now, knowing what an imprint does to you, how they're supposed to be your whole world. But…_can_ you ever learn to love me?"

You've never felt like shit until you ask for someone to try and love you. It was beyond humiliating. It was like stripping yourself bare, in front of a crowd of people. But being rejected when you ask someone to love you…it isn't humiliating. It's degrading. It's agony.

I waited for his answer. And after a few minutes I knew that I had to leave before I either broke down and cried…or tried to kill him.

I've never been a runner, obviously. But I'd have to say today nothing would stop me. After practically begging Embry to care about me, I didn't have the stomach to hang around anymore. I've never really considered myself the type of person to run off crying, but being in this house wasn't an option for me. I was 18 and unlike Fletcher, I had never planned to live at home for the rest of my life anyway.

The change into the wolf came naturally, Thank God. I don't know what I would have done if I had stood there shaking and sweating like an idiot, instead of changing.

On the outer fringes of my mind I could feel the pack reviewing what had been said and more importantly: what hadn't been said.

"Corinne…stop being a baby." I was going to rip Colin's fucking fur out.

"The man does care for you. What do you want? A fucking hug?" Paul seriously fucking got on my nerves. That little…

"Do you want me to meet up with you?"

I had known Seth Clearwater my entire life. He and my dad were almost brothers, and Seth had always been nice to me. So when I saw how concerned he was for me and Embry, I didn't feel the need to shout mental curses in his direction.

"I just need to get away for awhile…by myself." My firm refusal wasn't questioned and he immediately began making his way to my – Embry's house. I could 'see' how he immediately altered his course to head to my house. He was worried for my father. I felt guilt and decided to change back, even though I hadn't even left the reservation yet. I couldn't understand how the other members of the pack didn't go insane from sharing a collective mind link.

As I was changing back I saw the image of my father sitting in his recliner, looking shell shocked. Seth stepped up to the porch and shifted as I did. What right did he have to be hurt and upset? I should have just kept fucking quiet.

Have I mentioned I hate my life?

A/N Sorry for the long time between updates..I'm currently working on two other stories so I'm trying to be fair and divide my time equally. Leave reviews please. I've had over 200 views – but 5 reviews.


	4. Mad World

Chapter 4 Mad World

Corinne's P.O.V

Living in La Push, Washington generally gives me one consistency – that it rains 350 plus days a year. Considering that in the last few days, I have basically learned I am a giant Pomeranian, there are werewolves and vampires, and I literally am the only alien on this insane planet, of course it would stand to reason that the night I run away there has to be rain.

So right now I'm stuck with two very difficult situations. I can either sit out the storm as a wolf enjoying the "creature" comforts my wolf will bring me or I can be a human and not have to listen to the pack ignore me. Being a wolf means I can be comfortable during the storm but being a human means I won't have my mind crowded by immature men and boys. Right…not much of a choice. Human it is.

'Corinne?'

Identifying the voice was easy but only because as soon as he spoke I could picture his face, sort of like a wolf caller i.d. It was Zachary Neah, he was a few years ahead of me in school but even being that, we lived on the rez and knew each other. He was a polite guy to everyone and had the calmest disposition out of everyone in the pack, which really wasn't saying much but he was a generally placid guy.

Of course this little running monologue cost me a few irritated thoughts tossed my way from some of the pack but they could eat kibble and die…

'What?'

And even as he spoke I knew that Zach felt bad for me being up in the mountains, angry , and all alone. And he knew that I really didn't have anywhere else to go. It was mortifying how easily we read each other's thoughts in this form.

'If you're having a blowout with your dad you could come hang out at my place for a bit.'

See what I mean by polite? Even though both of us know I have nowhere to go and that I know –he knows this- he still asked me over like I had somewhere else to go. And he didn't seem to care that a few of the guys were giving him grief for inviting me over. And he knew I was thinking this over…way too much.

'Sure.'

I changed into my human form and tried to stifle the curses against the cold weather and embarrassment at traipsing down the mountain naked. No one was around to see me, as I'm sure the laughter would have given them away – even without my Pomeranian super hearing but it was still weird as hell to walk down the mountain side naked as a jay bird.

* * *

So my little jaunt down the mountain came to end when I became too bored and cold to finish walking to Zach's house as a human. Since we had been in each other's minds I knew that he had planned on leaving me a t-shirt and shorts in the woods outside his house.

I had changed into the clothes and was sitting in the woods, too nervous to go into the house. The shirt fit fine but the shorts were a little uncomfortable but that wasn't the problem. The Neah's house faced away from the woods but the majority of their windows were in the back. A big bay window let me see into their dining room and a smaller one into the kitchen.

For the better part of two hours I had set and watched Zach's family make dinner, horse around, and sit around the table like a real family. And it tore my heart out to watch what I didn't have.

I didn't have a brother that I could kid wrestle to the ground after losing a video game (Fletcher made it very clear anything of his was off limits) and I didn't have a mom who looked exasperated when no one volunteered to set the table. I didn't have a father who came home from work and bellowed out a greeting – so glad to be home I could smell it from forty yards away. I didn't have a father who came to my room to check on me if I was doing homework or talking on the phone.

I didn't have a family.

On the flip side though, Zach's dad didn't have a daughter who was a misanthropic nerd. His daughter was in the living room chatting with her friend Becky about boys in a shrill excited voice and painting her toenails.

Hell…my feet were dirty from my trudge down the mountains. My hair hadn't been combed since yesterday and if anyone saw me like this I probably resembled a short sasquatch more than a girl.

* * *

Zach's P.O.V

I knew 3 facts immediately after being inside of Corinne Call's mind when she phased.

The first fact was that Corinne was completely unaware of her father being Alpha to our pack – which was also non-existent to her. The second fact was that this was probably the loneliest person I had ever met in my life. Her daily social interactions were from customers in the store and her boss, Mrs. Newton, which she soaked up like she knew no one else, would talk with her. The third fact that I became aware of was that my fair and strict Alpha – a man I looked up to – treated her like total shit.

The past two nights were my only days this week to 'run radar' as we called it, and when Corinne phased it had made more than the usual ripple. Maybe it was because she was a female, or the daughter to the Alpha, but when she phased everyone stay tuned to her.

And this afternoon's incident with her father was almost too unreal for me to believe. How could you not love your own daughter? Most of the pack understood where Embry was coming from, and it hadn't escaped my notice that they were all imprinted, but I didn't care. It was unconscionable.

And what surprised me the most was how…guilty she felt over everything. Even about Embry not loving her, which I knew he cared for her but it wasn't anything like he cared for Fletcher, she felt guilty because of her mom dying in childbirth. What kind of asshole let his daughter think it was her fault?

'Zach, leave it alone man. Embry will fucking tear you apart thinking about her death.'

Paul was such a dick. If I say anything it will just feed that blackhole he calls a mouth to keep opening.

'Fuck you! I was just trying to help you out, man. What are you doing? Are you actually feeling sorry for the chubbo?'

He was trying to understand why I was watching Corinne, who was in the woods outside of my house. I had figured that she would work up the nerve to knock on the door during dinner after smelling the food, but after another hour had passed I had slipped out and had found her sitting on the ground, just staring at my house.

She was just sitting there with tears running down her face. She wasn't sniffling or sobbing. She just sat there, alone in the world.

And yes, it did make me feel sad for her.

'Paul…go home and grow the fuck up.' And since I phased I got to ignore his little rant.

As I was getting dressed I debated on how to approach Corinne.

The smartest avenue was probably through her stomach, she hadn't eaten all day and I knew she had to be starving – even without being a wolf a normal person would have been starving. But it was hard to think of a joke or light hearted talk that I could open with when this girl just sat there and stared at my family like she was a starving man before a banquet he could never touch.

Stepping loud enough to draw her attention I came within her eye line. Immediately the look was gone and the blank carefully constructed expression she wore a lot slid onto her face. Corinne stood and tried to give me a smile that just barely curled onto one side – like the other half couldn't even fake the effort.

"H-h-h-hi Zach. I hope I wasn't bothering you or your family since it's kind of late. I just wanted to take a quick breather before I knocked on your door. If-f-f- it's still okay with me to come over? If it's not that's okay, it's late and I'm sure you have to get up in the morning for work. I have to work in the morning too. So I'll see you around."

She hadn't let me get a single word in and had already come to the conclusion I had changed my mind about her coming over to my house.

"Corinne. I was just making sure you were still coming over. We have plenty of dinner left over and I'm sure my mom would love it if we ate it rather than throw it out."

The surprised look on her face made me want to explain to her that her father and brother were total dipshits, and so was the rest of the world.

"You can clean up and then we can play Call of Duty or something. Sound good?"

And that look came into her face – like she was memorizing this moment, this act of kindness towards her because it was so rare – and it made her look so vulnerable I wondered how Embry could have made his daughter into this unsure person.

"Sure……Thanks."

I knew the best thing would be to just act like I did with my other guy friends – but a lot more talkative. At least until she opened up and then she would give Paul a run for his money. In talking a lot, not being irritating.

I re-heated the leftovers while she was in the shower and waited in the dining room for her. And smelled them before the doorbell rang.

Crap.

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A/N Sorry for the long wait. I wrote this story in first person and that's actually what's holding me back from updating. It's hard for me to write in this viewpoint. Well anyways, read and review….or I'll kick you in the shin.


	5. Invisible

Chapter 5 Invisible

Zach's P.O.V

_Why the hell were Fletcher and Steven coming to my house? _

Zach knew with every fiber of his being that this was not going to be a Hallmark family moment Fletcher wanted to have with Corinne. As a wolf being protective of your family wasn't just a small part of their life, it was intrinsic among the pack. When a loved one was hurt, emotionally or physically, it was almost impossible to not seek out what had hurt them, and destroy it. Completely.

And Zach was willing to be his life that Fletcher was here because of the emotional turmoil his father was feeling. In a win or lose situation, within Corinne's family, she would lose every time.

The doorbell rang a split second before a furious pounding on the door shook the pictures on his mother's living room wall. Zach moved quickly through the house to beat his parents to the door, not needing that trouble as well.

"Where the hell is she?" Fletcher had the sentence uttered before Zach had the door open to them.

Fletcher and Steven were both standing in cut offs, no shoes and were wearing the look of someone looking for a fight.

Knowing that all of them could hear Corinne heading downstairs, Zach felt it unnecessary to reply to his question. And instead just gave him a bored expression.

"Hey boys. Is everything okay?"

That was his mom, ignoring how odd Fletcher and Steven looked with their cut offs and dirty bodies to be polite and nice to them. It made his outings with the pack a lot easier having his mother always willing to be there for him.

Zach made sure to give Fletcher and Steven a death glare before turning to his mother.

"It's fine mom. Fletcher was just coming to talk with Corinne. We'll be back in a few okay?"

Corinne was clumsily coming down the stairs, a hopeful look on her face that told Zach she was expecting Fletcher to be concerned for her. She turned her look towards Zach and gave him a smile, making something in his chest hurt.

Stumbling on the last step she was within five feet of her brother when she must have realized he was angry with her. The hopeful look on her face slipped off and for a slight second, Zach actually heard her heartbeat falter.

Zach wanted to beat the crap out of her brother.

Corinne's P.O.V

Corinne had smelled her brother coming towards the house as soon as she had gotten out of the shower.

Corinne couldn't believe Fletcher was here. He had never really shown a lot of concern for her, but he must have found out how upset she was and was coming to check on her. Hurriedly throwing on some clothes, Corinne stumbled down the stairs wanting to see her brother.

Glancing at Zach who was standing by the door with a concerned look on his face, Corinne couldn't help but smile at him.

Halfway across the room Corinne realized that Fletcher didn't look concerned…but angry. He wasn't there to make sure she was okay. He was there because of the argument. It felt like someone slugged her in the chest with a barbell, the disappointment was so acute.

'_I'm such an idiot. Why would I think he was actually coming to check on me?' Corinne was scolding her naïve self._

He looked like he wanted to rip her head off and play dodgeball with it.

"Get your ass outside. Now."

Upon reflection, Corinne was pretty sure that ripping her head off was a lot less painful than what Fletcher had in mind. Even as a wolf now, she was pretty sure he could mop the floor with her.

"Actually, we'll be there in a minute."

Zach's voice startled her brother who seemed to have forgotten he was there as well. Corinne watched as Fletcher turned a furious glare on Zach and wanted to drop off the face of the Earth. The first person who was nice to her, who had the potential to be her friend, and Fletcher looked ready to murder him.

"Whatever. You better find me in five minutes, Corinne."

With that parting shot, Fletcher and Steven stalked into the woods and Corinne could hear their furious paws heading deeper into the woods.

"Are you okay?" Corinne turned away from the woods and looked at Zach. He had walked up to her and was clearly worried.

"I'm fine. I'd better go before he comes back and does something stupid."

Zach's P.O.V

The girl was certifiably crazy. Zach could tell she had honestly expected him to stay at his house and let her go confront her brother, and his friend Steven, by herself.

They had been walking in the woods, away from his house, for about five minutes. Corinne never stopped or hesitated in her motions. She just kept trudging steadily towards her ingrate of a brother, all without saying a word.

"They're up ahead." Stating the obvious was a horrible flaw, but he had to break the silence before the war started. Giving him a slight smile, Corinne squared her shoulders and walked around some rocks and marched up to her brother.

"What the hell is your problem, Corinne? I saw what you said to Dad. You know how he is about mom! Do you know how much that hurt him to even talk about her?" Fletcher's voice gradually rose until he was shouting in her face.

"Look Fletcher, I know how close you and Dad are…and I can't even imagine how horrible it was for you to lose mom, but both of you act like I'm not even here. It's like I died with her." Zach could only watch helplessly as Corinne tried to reach for her brother's hand to have her own slapped away angrily.

"You're so fucking sad, Corinne. You think I want to hang out with a loser like you? And as for Dad, leave him the hell alone. He works his ass off for us, the least you could do is give the man some space."

Corinne, despite the tears flowing down her face, looked at her brother's furious expression and tilted her chin up and held herself rigid. Not backing down in the slightest. And it was that look she always wore, like she was resigned to this treatment that made Zach furious.

"The least I can do is give him space? Well, the least Dad can do is to treat me like I'm a part of the family and not just someone who rents a room in the house. The least he can do is treat me like his daughter and not a complete stranger. And the least you can do is to get out of my face, you stupid pile of shit."

Zach saw her brother's facial expression go beyond furious and moved to step in between the two.

"And on that note, I think you need to leave Fletcher. Seriously. Get out here."

Zach met Fletcher's glare head on and realized a part of him hoped Fletcher was stupid enough to pick a fight with him. He wasn't a newly turned wolf and he sure as hell wasn't too fond of Fletcher at the moment.

"Whatever. Just stay away from the house from now on."

Fletcher phased and ran off, leaving Steven to scramble after him.

After listening for a few minutes to make sure Fletcher and Steven were really heading away from them, he turned to find Corinne.

She had turned her back to him and had her hands pressed to her face.

"Corinne…are you okay?"

'_Of course she isn't okay, you moron!_' Zach wanted to slap himself for the stupid question.

"Just…give me a minute." He could barely understand her between the crying.

Unable to help himself, Zach walked up to her and gently laid a hand on her arm. Corinne's face peeked up at him and Zach realized she had finally reached the end of her straw. Drawing her into an awkward hug, he held her and tried to soothe her and she spoke between gasps of crying.

"I'm…sorry. I just…don't understand…why they can't love me. I just…don't understand."

Zach didn't understand either.

Corinne's P.O.V

_Oh God. I seriously want to just throw myself off the nearest cliff. _

Corinne and Zach were listening to music from his ipod on the beach. She was so embarrassed that every pack member, eventually, would know of her argument with Fletcher. She didn't really care what they thought of her, but she did care what Zach thought of her. He had been so nice to her.

After the argument, he had just hugged her until she stopped crying. He had even told her that Fletcher and her father were morons, that she was awesome standing up for herself. It felt nice to have a person who would have her back. She just hoped it lasted.

"You know…for all that everyone talks about how wonderful imprinting is..I think it's a crock."

Zach's words snapped Corinne out of her pity fest.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it changes you into someone else. It can make you do horrible stuff, and you wouldn't even care. I never want to imprint." The last part of Zach's sentence was said quietly, almost to himself.

"I don't even know if I can imprint…but I hope I don't either. Doesn't seem to go very well in my family, does it?"

The joke fell flat in the air, a casual reference to the chaotic order her family was now living in. Or at least she was living in. Fletcher and Embry were probably happy she wasn't coming back. They had talked about a weight room for awhile, she was willing to bet her room was already torn apart.

"Corinne…you didn't do anything wrong."

"I know." She didn't know what else to say to him. What do you say?

Zach gave a long drawn out sigh.

"We need to shake this off, I say tomorrow we go cliff diving and then a pizza fest until we throw up."

Corinne watched the sun setting and realized she wasn't going to let her family make her invisible.

"As long as you don't wuss out at the cliffs, then I'd say you're on."

A/N OMG. I seriously need to be shot for not updating in forever. What's really crazy is that I have rough drafts of chapters on my other stories, I just haven't finished them. This is a shit chapter but I'm trying folks.


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